Purpose:
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Often lost in the shuffle is the fact that athletes do sit-ups to stabilize, strengthen, and mobilize the midline and low back, and not for the sake of themselves.
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That being said, we have several strategies/ additions to the standard Abmat sit-up that help ensure it is the guts that are doing the work, and not the momentum of the arms or upper body.
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The banded version, as filmed, is also excellent posture practice, and keeping the band taught is a challenge in its own right.
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Recommendation:
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Most usefully performed towards the end of a training day, do enough, but not too many;
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Let quality govern quantity.
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When posture breaks, butt comes off the ground, or we simply can’t get up, then either take a short rest and retry,
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or call it and work hard to complete at least five more next time around.
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A few simple schemes:
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5 sets of 15 reps, with :15 seconds between sets
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50- 40- 30- 20-10, with :30 seconds between sets
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10 sets of 10 reps, with 5 breaths between sets (approx. :15 seconds)
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Description:
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Set Abmat behind you, not underneath you (a few inches from your body, not wedged underneath like a doorstop).
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With feet placed at/ around hip width, and band placed across the scapula and driven tight with strong external rotation, perform sit-ups without allowing butt to come off the ground or posture to break.
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Keep a strong, organized arch, and drive hips forward at the top of each rep.
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